


Thanks John Dillinger

by ZuviosGemini



Series: Gobblepot Tumblr Prompts [6]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Football Player Jim, M/M, Pre-Slash, stage fright
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-03-16 20:40:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3502079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZuviosGemini/pseuds/ZuviosGemini
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's presentation day for Oswald and his project partner, the school linebacker Jim Gordon. Perhaps Oswald should have mentioned his... problem... before they took the stage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thanks John Dillinger

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a tumblr prompt: "You fainted... straight into my arms... You know, if you wanted my attention you didn't have to go to such extremes." for user honkhonkcobblepot. Read/like/reblog that fic [here.](http://driftsbodaciousthighs.tumblr.com/post/112855663439/)

Today was the day. Their presentation was due in a few hours, and Oswald was panicking. He didn’t do well with crowds, much less an entire lecture hall of people, and it didn’t help that his partner was Jim Gordon, linebacker for the football team and a bit standoffish. He was nice enough, helping gather the research they needed and putting together the presentation board with him on free days, but he still had a wall in front of him that made Oswald keep his distance.

The few hours passed faster than Oswald wanted, and soon he was sliding into his seat next to Gordon, notecards grasped a little too tightly in his sweaty hands as they waited. Two pairs went before the professor called their names from the roster.

"Gordon, Cobblepot, you’re next."

Gordon picked up their presentation board and got up, prompting Oswald to do the same. He was a bit slower getting down the stairs thanks to his disability (Gordon thankfully didn’t oppose his request to not sit so far up the hall), but he eventually found himself standing next to the other student on the stage. His heart rate was already picking up as he looked out at all the faces staring at him, and he swallowed hard, looking at his prompt cards with shaking hands.

"We are here today… t-to present our project on John Dillinger." He was feeling a little hot, but it was probably just the lights.

"Dillinger wasn’t a gangster in the usual sense…" It was getting hard to breathe, but he pressed on after Gordon gave him a little nod. "But rather a b-bank robber with ties to…" His words failed him as his breath got shorter… his vision was going white around the edges and before he could do anything, he passed out, hearing the gasps of his classmates as he fell.

When he came to, he was in the university health clinic, lying down on his back in one of the beds. He closed his eyes again and covered his face, embarrassment filling him up like water in a glass, until he wished he would just drown.

"How’re you feeling?"

Oswald peeked out from behind his fingers and saw Gordon sitting in the chair against the wall. He covered his face again, hiding.

"What happened?"

"You passed out… straight into my arms."

Oswald groaned and scrunched up into a ball, or at least as much of a ball as his leg would permit.

Gordon chuckled and reached out, pulling a hand away from Oswald’s face, giving him a lopsided smile.

"You know, if you wanted my attention, you didn’t have to go to such extremes. We were partners on this project for a month. You could have just talked to me."

Oswald’s eyes widened, mortified.

"W-what? Oh, no no no, I wasn’t—"

Gordon’s smile didn’t go away so Oswald gave him a small smile in return and sat up, accepting the water bottle that was handed to him with a quiet ‘thank you’.

"I have stage fright unfortunately. I’ve never done well in front of people. Usually I’m the guy who operates the laptop during presentations."

Gordon nodded, sitting back down.

"You should have said something. I could have done the talking. Being stared at by hundreds of people doesn’t bother me. Playing football makes you get used to it."

Oswald nodded, looking down at his hands.

"I’m sorry, Gordon. We’ll have to do our presentation over tomorrow."

"Jim."

Oswald looked up in confusion, seeing the soft smile on Gordon’s face and feeling his stomach flip over.

"Gordon is what my coach and professors call me. My friends call me Jim."

Oswald’s smile widened, hope swimming in his veins.

"Jim it is, then."


End file.
